This invention is directed to absorbent, elastomeric materials and methods of making such materials.
Absorbent articles such as personal care garments, medical garments, athletic garments, workwear garments, and the like, often include both absorbent materials and elastomeric materials which, together, provide absorbency and a conforming fit. Typically, absorbent materials are not particularly elastomeric, and conversely, elastomeric materials are not particularly absorbent. The idea of a stretchable absorbent material has been around for a number of years. Examples of drawbacks encountered in attempts to combine elastomeric materials and superabsorbent materials include considerable cost in manufacturing these combinations, lack of flexibility, extensibility and elasticity in the resulting material, low levels of absorbency in terms of low intake rate as well as low fluid retention capacity, and the superabsorbent is susceptible to becoming detached from the elastomeric material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,258, issued Jan. 2, 1990, teaches a stretchable absorbent garment made up of a liquid-pervious layer, a liquid-impervious layer, an absorbent layer, and a stretchable layer. The stretchable layer is stretch-bonded to the other layers and, upon relaxation, a plurality of rugosities is formed in all layers but the stretchable layer.
PCT Publication No. WO 98/37846, published Sep. 3, 1998, describes a stretchable absorbent structure having valleys. The stretch characteristics of an absorbent layer within the structure are achieved by pulling the absorbent material in a cross-machine direction or otherwise causing the material to “festoon.” If the liner and outer cover are non-stretchable materials, the only stretch characteristics are provided by the unfolding of the absorbent core.
European Patent No. 0 794 751 B1, issued Jun. 2, 1999, describes a stretchable absorbent article core that is essentially a stretchable absorbent material formed by combining an elastomeric meltblown adhesive with superabsorbent materials. The adhesive is sprayed onto a forming web and the absorbent material is blown in from the side and is entangled with the adhesive fibers. This material is then integrated into an absorbent article such as a diaper.
European Patent No. 0 651 631 B1, issued Jun. 16, 1999, describes a stretchable absorbent structure including an absorbent component, such as a nonwoven, laminated to a stretchable liquid impervious component that also serves as a barrier film. The nonwoven is laminated to the film while the film is in a stretched condition. A plurality of rugosities is formed when the laminate is in a relaxed condition.
There is a need or desire for an absorbent, elastomeric material that can be used in absorbent articles such as personal care garments, medical garments, athletic garments, workwear garments, and the like, wherein the material is soft and flexible and has a high intake rate and high fluid retention capacity.